Olympe de Gouges Theatre

Right in the heart of the city – and even more so, at the heart of Montauban’s cultural life – you’ll find the Olympe de Gouges Theatre. It has stood here ever since 1930. But its history goes back much further. This was formerly the site of the city’s very first public hall. Created in 1792, it was originally used for playing jeu de paume, a racket sport with rules that closely resemble those of modern tennis. That space was later converted into a theatre, which quickly became so popular that it had to be expanded during the 1800s. Then came the devastating floods of 1930, and with reconstruction funds sent from Paris, Montauban got to redesign the venue. This time, the façade was moved to face the square, putting right the awkward original layout that had placed the entrance along a side street. Like much of the city’s architecture, the revamped theatre features Montauban’s signature red brick, with arcades, pilasters, and those elegant top-floor windows, called mirandes, all echoing the graceful style of its neighbor, Place Nationale.